System and method for generating display objects representing areas of coverage, available bandwidth and channel selection for wireless devices in a wireless communication network

• US 7,283,848 B1
• Filed: 05/27/2004
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ThinkLogix, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Autocell Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Callahan, Paul D., Pfister, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Afshar, Kamran
• Application Number:
  US10/855,208
• Time in Patent Office: 1,237 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4562, 455/404.2, 455/452.2, 455/422.1, 455/500, 455/507, 455/566, 455/517, 455/447, 455/67.1, 455/446, 340/825.36, 340/825, 340/7.2, 715/700, 715/781, 715/764, 345/169, 345/582, 345/156, 701/1, 701/35, 701/29
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/18 Service support devices; Network management devices

Abstract

A system and method for generating display objects representing areas of radio coverage, available bandwidth and channel selection for wireless devices in a wireless communication network are disclosed. Substantially circular rings are provided defining areas of radio coverage for corresponding wireless network devices. The rings are super-imposed over a representation of the physical environment in which the wireless network is deployed. The thickness of the generated rings is representative of the amount of throughput available within the rings. A relatively thicker ring indicates that throughput within the ring is relatively high, while a relatively thin ring indicates that throughput within the ring is relatively low. The rings are further indicative of the current radio channel selected for operation by the associated device. Different colors may be associated with different channels, so that all devices using the same channel have the same color rings. Other visual indications may alternatively be used to indicate the channels associated with the generated rings. The disclosed system is especially advantageous in managing wireless communication networks in which wireless network devices dynamically adjust operational parameters such as transmission power and channel selection.

Claims

1. A method for providing display objects representing areas of wireless communication coverage in a user interface to a wireless communication network management system, comprising:

generating at least one substantially circular ring graphic object, wherein said ring graphic object represents a physical area of radio coverage for an associated wireless network device within a physical environment in which said associated wireless network device is deployed, and wherein said ring graphic object is displayed within a graphical representation of said physical environment in which said associated wireless network device is deployed;

further including a plurality of ring graphic objects, and wherein each said ring graphic object has a thickness representative of an amount of throughput available to one or more other wireless communication devices located within an area of said physical environment in which said associated wireless network deployed that is defined by said ring graphic object, such that a relatively thicker thickness of one said ring graphic object in comparison with another ring graphic object is indicative of a relatively higher amount of available throughput of one wireless device relative to another wireless device, and such that a relatively thinner thickness of said ring graphic object in comparison with another ring graphic object is indicative of a relatively lower amount of available throughput of one wireless device relative to another wireless device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said representation of said physical environment in which said associated wireless network device is deployed comprises a graphical representation of a physical environment in which a wireless communication network under management is deployed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said ring graphic object further represents a current radio channel selected for operation by said associated wireless communication device, wherein said current radio channel is indicated by a predetermined visual attribute of said ring graphic object associated with said current radio channel.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said predetermined visual attribute comprises a predetermined color of said ring graphic object.

5. A system for providing display objects representing areas of wireless communication coverage in a user interface to a wireless communication network management system, comprising:

user interface logic operable to generate at least one substantially circular ring graphic object, wherein said ring graphic object represents a physical area of radio coverage for an associated wireless network device within a physical environment in which said associated wireless network device is deployed, and wherein said ring graphic object is displayed within a graphical representation of said physical environment in which said associated wireless network device is deployed;

further including a plurality of ring graphic objects, and wherein each said ring graphic object has a thickness representative of an amount of throughput available to one or more other wireless communication devices located within an area of said physical environment in which said associated wireless network deployed that is defined by said ring graphic object, such that a relatively thicker thickness of one said ring graphic object in comparison with another ring graphic object is indicative of a relatively higher amount of available throughput of one wireless device relative to another wireless device, and such that a relatively thinner thickness of said ring graphic object in comparison with another ring graphic object is indicative of a relatively lower amount of available throughput of one wireless device relative to another wireless device.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said representation of said physical environment in which said associated wireless network device is deployed comprises a graphical representation of a physical environment in which a wireless communication network under management is deployed.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said ring graphic object further represents a current radio channel selected for operation by said associated wireless communication device, wherein said current radio channel is indicated by a predetermined visual attribute of said ring graphic object associated with said current radio channel.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said predetermined visual attribute comprises a predetermined color of said ring graphic object.

9. A computer readable medium encoded with a computer program product for providing display objects representing areas of wireless communication coverage in a user interface to a wireless communication network management system stored thereon, said comprising:

program code for generating at least one substantially circular ring graphic object, wherein said ring graphic object represents a physical area of radio coverage for an associated wireless network device within a physical environment in which said associated wireless network device is deployed, and wherein said ring graphic object is displayed within a graphical representation of said physical environment in which said associated wireless network device is deployed;

further including a plurality of ring graphic objects, and wherein each said ring graphic object has a thickness representative of an amount of throughput available to one or more other wireless communication devices located within an area of said physical environment in which said associated wireless network deployed that is defined by said ring graphic object, such that a relatively thicker thickness of one said ring graphic object in comparison with another ring graphic object is indicative of a relatively higher amount of available throughput of one wireless device relative to another wireless device, and such that a relatively thinner thickness of said ring graphic object in comparison with another ring graphic object is indicative of a relatively lower amount of available throughput of one wireless device relative to another wireless device.

10. A system for providing display objects representing areas of wireless communication coverage in a user interface to a wireless communication network management system, comprising:

means for generating at least one substantially circular ring graphic object, wherein said ring graphic object represents a physical area of radio coverage for an associated wireless network device within a physical environment in which said associated wireless network device is deployed, and wherein said ring graphic object is displayed within a graphical representation of

said physical environment in which said associated wireless network device is deployed;

further including a plurality of ring graphic objects, and wherein each said ring graphic object has a thickness representative of an amount of throughput available to one or more other wireless communication devices located within an area of said physical environment in which said associated wireless network deployed that is defined by said ring graphic object, such that a relatively thicker thickness of one said ring graphic object in comparison with another ring graphic object is indicative of a relatively higher amount of available throughput of one wireless device relative to another wireless device, and such that a relatively thinner thickness of said ring graphic object in comparison with another ring graphic object is indicative of a relatively lower amount of available throughput of one wireless device relative to another wireless device.